Abstract

The Adventures of Amir Hamza is an important work of popular Islamic literary tradition. It is a collection of tales which tells the life story of Amir Hamza. It contributes to the tradition of oral celebration of cultural and religious heroes. The Adventures of Amir Hamza is an English translation of Dāstān-e-AmÄ«r Hamza Sahibqirān (Urdu). The translation has brought this important piece of Islamic literature into limelight. The paper aims at exploring the historical background of the story of Amir Hamza. It will also analyse its cultural relevance, as this story encompasses a wide variety of cultures which exist within the Islamic territories. Its historical and cultural relevance will be analysed through a critical insight into the storytelling tradition which has been widely popular among Muslim populations. It will highlight the Pre-Islamic and Islamic values as exhibited in the plot, characters and themes of this story. The paper will establish the story of Amir Hamza, as a significant specimen of multiculturalism and religious pluralism despite being produced within the Islamic literary environment. It will also highlight the religious tolerance and coexistence as an important thematic dimension of the story of Amir Hamza. 

Key words: History, cultural diversity, Amir Hamza, storytelling, pre-Islamic, Islamic.